Ferrari remains confident in Lewis Hamilton’s abilities, dismissing concerns over his struggles with ground-effect cars and backing him to regain top form.
Ferrari’s chassis technical director, Loic Serra, is adamant: Lewis Hamilton’s struggles during the ground-effect era with Mercedes F1 do not “scare him,” even though the Briton has won only two races in three years.
Hamilton did not get the farewell he had hoped for with his team, as his difficulties continued into 2024 after already challenging seasons in 2022 and 2023.
Mercedes F1 technical director Andrew Shovlin had explained that ground-effect F1 cars “did not suit Hamilton’s driving style.”
“He has struggled with this entire generation of cars; they simply didn’t match his driving.”
It remains to be seen whether Hamilton will be able to overcome these issues and master Ferrari’s ground-effect SF-25.
However, Serra, who knows the Briton well from his time at Mercedes F1—where he played a key role in Hamilton’s success as the team’s performance director—is not concerned.
“Lewis’s recent struggles on track? They don’t scare me.”
“He is an extraordinary driver who constantly seeks new challenges and, I am sure, will be as fast at Ferrari as he was in his best years leading F1.”
Hamilton completed his first laps in the 2025 Ferrari at Fiorano on Wednesday and said he immediately felt comfortable in the car.
“I don’t feel like I have to change my driving style too much at the moment. I feel quite at ease in the car and am just taking things one step at a time.”
“I hope, and we’ll see as we move forward on the real race tracks we’ll be tackling, how in sync I am and how much I might need to adjust. But the key is to stay open-minded and adaptable.”
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Hamilton’s Pace Not in Doubt as Ferrari Dismisses Concerns Hamilton’s Pace Not in Doubt as Ferrari Dismisses Concerns
